We used The Cafe at The Inn on Pamlico Sound for our son's rehearsal dinner. The venue was beautiful and the food was exceptional! Everyone enjoyed the variety of entrees served and the atmosphere was perfect. The staff was very attentive and the location was lovely. Be sure to check out this restaurant, you will not be disappointed! read more

After several years of saying "we should try Cafe Pamlico" on the drive into Frisco, we finally took the plunge and we weren't disappointed. The atmosphere is wonderful, and our server Kasey was great. The food was delicious and while service was prompt - very little waiting, which may have had something to do with a relatively early reservation - our meal never felt rushed. We've been visiting Hatteras for 30 years now, and have cultivated a list of tried and true favorites for our two weeks every year. It's safe to say Cafe Pamlico is a welcome addition to that list. read more

Melissa offered great suggestions and provided us with a relaxed dining experience. Food was very good.

This was our one night out...in fact, it was our first date in months. We hoped for something special, and good heavens, did we ever find it. This place blew our expectations out of the water. Sensational service. Exquisite food. Epic view. Need I say more? read more

Delicious dinner with a beautiful view. Perfect date night. Crab bisque to start was one of the best bisques I've ever had. Scallops were spot on, as well as the Mahi mahi. Our server Zachary was pleasant and attentive. Will definitely be coming back next vacation. read more

Cafe Pamlico - Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Buxton, North Carolina

See all

Staff is so sweet and location is amazing. Food is good too. Very close to the ferry.

We made reservations and were so glad we did. The shrimp and grits and the whiskey cocktail were both AMAZING. Everything else was delicious as well. Great service that worked with my daughter's allergy graciously! Thank you! read more

I came here for my birthday dinner date while on vacation and it was wonderful! We made a reservation, which I would recommend due to the small size of the space. We were seated with a waterfront view right when we arrived and had a great experience for the whole evening. Alex, our waiter, was fantastic. He uncorked and served our wine perfectly and made sure to check on us throughout the meal. I had the crab cakes, purple potatoes, and brussels sprouts. The flavor combination was great. The salty sprouts were wonderful with the sweet purple potatoes. The tuna wellington was also a creative dish and the few bites I had were delicious. I would also recommend the key lime pie and berry-misu. Both were excellent ways to finish up the meal. read more

Recently visited and we were disappointed with the food. Service was good, atmosphere lovely, but the food fell short for us. Don't mind spending $32-34 on an entree if it's creative and cooked well, but both the scallops and crab cake dinners were dull and felt reheated. You expect crab cakes in the OBX to be more...crabby. These were mushy like tuna fish cakes. Smoked fish appetizer was good as was their bread. Tomato salad was ice cold so you really couldn't taste the tomatoes. Perhaps we just hit it on a off night. read more

Quaint. Beautiful. Friendly. Accommodating. Perfect! We could not have been more pleased with every aspect of our wedding at The Inn on Pamlico Sound. The prices were reasonable, the entire staff was as overly friendly and helpful and accommodating as could be, the food was incredible and the scenery simply could not be beat! We live in the Northeast, so not only did we have to plan and coordinate everything with Gina remotely while not getting to see the place until the day before the rehearsal dinner, but we also had to do everything within 4 months! And we were honesty impressed with how quickly and beautifully they pulled everything off! Gina, the wedding coordinator, was absolutely incredible. She is GREAT at what she does. We simply provided her with ideas of what we wanted, and she produced. . . exceeding our expectations. The entire staff was supremely accommodating to us and our guests - including special accommodations for elderly and slightly disabled guests as well as guests with food allergies. We also had to make some last-minute changes from dining outside to inside, and they pulled everything off with a smile and without a hitch! We'd also like to give a special shout out to a particular staff member, Dallas. While Gina handle all the big stuff, Dallas made sure each and every guest had anything and everything they needed, including striking up engaging conversation and virtually becoming a member of our family! And the SCENERY! And the SUNSET! You simply cannot find a better backdrop for your wedding. Period. It's breathtaking. We could not have imagined getting married anywhere else. If you're looking for a friendly, quaint, supremely accommodating venue for your wedding with unmatched scenery, then Inn on Pamlico Sound is your venue! read more

My boyfriend and I celebrated our anniversary in Cape Hatteras. On the eve of our anniversary, we wanted a special dinner to celebrate. Café Pamlico seemed like the obvious choice as it provided the ambiance we desired. Unfortunately, the atmosphere was the only enjoyable part of our experience. We chose to begin our meal with a salad and soup - it took 30 minutes at lease for that to come out (the restaurant was not busy). As we waited this ludicrous amount of time for soup and salad, we were not acknowledged a single time. When they were delivered to us - the quality of the food was mediocre at the very best. Our entrees soon followed - I ordered the duck and my boyfriend ordered the scallops. Both items were not properly cooked. The duck was cold on the inside. My sides were also cold. It was the most expensive meal we had the whole trip and was the absolute worst in quality and service. There are much cheaper and much tastier options in the area! read more

Great meal, great location. Best to come around sunset and call a head for a table. My group loved their meals, I didn't like my fish of the day, was rock fish and was a bit fishier than I like, and they gladly took it off the bill! The menu seems to rotate but the Tuna poke was amazing. the fresh bread and roasted red pepper spread they put on the table set the tone for the meal early. Was down here for vacation for the week, but this seems to be the better place the locals go as opposed to the mainstream vacation restaurants everyone else goes to read more

Cafe Pamlico - Sunset from the back room - Seafood Near Me - Buxton, North Carolina

Shrimp and grits were divine. Mimosa with Chambord was pretty good. Atmosphere was incredible. Value for breakfast was really good. Best food we had in outer banks. read more

Very nice breakfast. Staff super nice. Do get fried tomatoes with breakfast. Coffee was kinda lukewarm, but to be fair, we came at the end of breakfast. Staying at the Inn at Pamlico Sound and you can order off the menu for your complimentary breakfast!!! Yes, you read that right. Order off the menu and its complimentary with your room for breakfast. read more

While staying at the Inn on Pamlico Sound (IOPS), I had breakfast and dinner here. The food was good, plus the servers were friendly and nice. The portion size was just right, unlike some restaurants that serve two to three times as much as we should be eating. A nice menu feature is the catch of the day, which is literally what the local fishermen caught and brought in that day. I will eat here again when I return to stay at IOPS. read more

Update- I've changed the rating to 1 star since the owner further demonstrated the service issues by responding with insults and telling me I'm not welcome there instead of acknowledging the actual issues I had. So much for the "we'll make it right" nonsense. Mr. Owner- I'm not sure what you are insinuating by pointing out my numerous low reviews, but out of 314 reviews on Yelp, I've had 93 one and two star reviews, that's around 28%. Clearly you feel Yelp is meant for customers to just rubber stamp places regardless of the experience, and when that doesn't happen you childishly lash out (I looked at your history too). Maybe you should actually look at how many 4 and 5 stars I have given (which is most of them btw, with many near your restaurant) and ponder how you could have been one of them. If you are are suggesting that I am making up my statements, I'll be happy to share the night I was there, the waitress's name, as well as the other waitstaff I had to bother, so you can verify everything with them as well. The irony here is that i heavily complimented the cooking at your restaurant. The service was terrible, own it. You burying the 20% in the back of the menu is wrong, own it. One of the meals was dreadful, own it. Or, find a career where you can accept responsibility respectfully. read more

Came here for the first time last week, as soon as North Carolina opened back up for restaurant seating and the food was amazing. We started with A couple drinks which were amazing and the server came by with bread and delicious olive oil with Parmesan in it. My husband and I split mussels and a spinach salad for an appetizer. (Not sure why the mussels are listed as an entree since every time we get them somewhere else they are an app). Also would have been nice if it came with bread, to soak up the delicious broth. My husband asked for some extra bread and it was happily brought out, because the broth was too good to waste! For our meals I had the beef tenderloin filet and my husband had the scallops. We both loved our dishes. Our server was very attentive. The food pacing was nice. I hate going out to a nice dinner and having all my food come out so quickly you can barely enjoy it, so I think they have that down right. The sunset wasn't great when we went but still an amazing view the sound all around you! Also loved walking up and seeing all the vegetables they grow in the gardens around it. Overall great experience! read more

Cafe Pamlico - View from our seat on the deck - Seafood Near Me - Buxton, North Carolina

Nice location and decent food, but our party left feeling uncomfortable and underwhelmed. The service was prompt but we all felt like we were an inconvenience to the establishment. We had a larger group with some infants in tow. There were a few requests for some small sides which were ultimately fulfilled, however, it seemed as we were asking for Herculean tasks when we requested a few slices of tomato and steamed broccoli for children. Our request for steamed broccoli somehow was not a reasonable request as they could only sauté the broccoli with oil and seasoning... (lol ok). Our crab soup was luke warm, hair and lipstick on drink glasses. Some in our party wanted to order fish tacos off the bar menu but this was not permitted since we were not sitting at the bar. Ultimately, the rigid guidelines paired with what appears to be a restaurant shooting for a casual atmosphere (owners dogs under our tables) seems a bit disingenuous. read more

All our meals at Cafe Pamlico this weekend were AMAZING. The location is picturesque We enjoyed walking to the sound for the sunset. Chairs on the deck made for a great scene. When we walked back up, we were seated right on time. Festival fall cocktails. The fried green tomato and bisque started the meal off with flavorful plates. I had shrimp, scallops and grits one night and the veg curry our second night and my husband enjoyed the Tuna then the Drum. All entrees were excellent. By the time we were given dessert options, we were stuffed but still enjoyed the pumpkin creme brûlée' and mascarpone cake immensely. Also enjoyed the warm chocolate dessert and apple cobbler cheesecake our first night. Servers were a local and had great ideas for us to venture around the sound for the weekend. The Cafe delivered Breakfast and Lunch to our room at the Inn so we could avoid contact with others during this weird Covid time. Breakfasts were hot and delicious, Lunches were generous and flavorful portions. Steve and his staff are wonderful. read more

Our daughter's wedding reception was held at the Inn and the food was outstanding! The filet mignons were cooked perfectly, the fresh-caught drum fish was absolutely delicious, and the crab cake and shrimp appetizers were perfect. In addition, many wedding guests stayed at the Inn and they all raved about the delicious breakfast (shrimp & grits, and chicken & waffles were two noted favorites). We will definitely enjoy going back to Cafe Pamlico on our future visits to Hatteras Island! read more

I start to drool just thinking about all the fantastic meals we've had at Cafe Pamlico. The menu is varied and seasonally fresh and always fantastic. The chef sources locally (as in, from the property's gardens as well as area sources!) and seasonally. Delicious! The staff is incredible -- friendly, knowledgeable about the menu and the area, and so thoughtful. We spent our honeymoon at the Inn and dined at Cafe Pamlico often. When we returned for our first anniversary, we were greeted by name with hugs and smiles and miraculously escorted to our favorite table. Make sure you save room for dessert and a nightcap from the awesome bartender! read more

While staying at the Inn earlier this month with my best friend we had the chance to eat breakfast at the cafe as well as dinner several times. I can't say enough about how good the food was whether at the bar or in the restaurant. We enjoyed EVERYTHING we had. For breakfast we were big fans of the French toast. As for bar food the shrimp was delicious and fish tacos were great. As for the restaurant we really enjoyed the half chicken and the duck. It's a beautiful atmosphere looking out over the sound. The staff was wonderful, we mostly had the new server Steven, knew exactly what we like, and Dave the bartender was excellent. read more

The meal was excellent Our server was outstanding Best atmosphere of our whole vacation We had a wonderful ocean view read more

Everything is amazing here; staff, setting, food, cocktails, and wine. Joshua was extremely professional...friendly and attentive. He even remembered us from last year! The owner, Steve, dropped by and said hello- very down to earth! Sunsets are always amazing here, been coming here for years and will continue to, every vacation. read more

This place is phenomenal! It's attached to an Inn, which is pretty great too. But anyway, we came here for vacation and anniversary dinner. We both got the grilled romaine spears, which is basically Caesar salad grilled, but the croutons and dressing were magnificent, and the grilled romaine... It was unbelievable. Best Caesar salad ever! For our entree, we both got filet with red wine Demi glaze and fingerling potatoes. The filet was cooked perfectly and the potatoes were roasted. It came with grilled squash and zucchini too. We couldn't have had a more perfect anniversary dinner. Ashley, our waitress , was lovely. The owner came and introduced himself, and shook our hands. And to top it off, we sat next to the window with a water view. We will definitely come here again! read more

Cafe Pamlico - Seafood Near Me - Buxton, North Carolina

See all

We visited Buxton, NC this past June and wanted to do an in-home Low Country Seafood Boil. We were referred to Cafe Pamlico by our realtor and from the very start, the team there took great care of us. They were easy to work with on setup and delivered an incredible culinary product for all of us to enjoy. The food, value, and presentation were all top notch. I would highly recommend this experience to any group visiting the area - you won't be disappointed! read more

If you are looking for a well prepared special or romantic dinner, this place is it! High end menu that changes according to the season. The dinners are very good. Krystal was our server she was very attentive and very helpful, and gave great suggestions on our questions. Thank you Krystal! This is a top notch dining experience. There was Live music played during dinner. Wonderful experience!.! Fine dining in Buxton on the Cape Hatteras National Sea shore. If you go, you will not be diapointed. This was our second visit here, they have secured our return. read more

Stayed at the Inn for the weekend and enjoyed several meals here at Cafe Pamlico. It is waterfront dining with a beautiful view. The service was excellent! Everyone was so nice! They had a musician playing acoustic guitar on Friday night by the bar ~ drinks were excellent! The food was so good we ate here 2 nights for dinner! The shrimp and grits is one of the best we have ever had!! Also recommend the appetizers -crab and corn chowder, shrimp, and oysters Rockefeller. The breakfast was included in our stay and the eggs Benedict and omelet to order were delicious!! Get reservations! Definitely a place to put on your list for a special dinner!! read more

Came here as a party of 4 while on vacation. Food and presentation gets 5 stars, everything tasted amazing! However we found the service quite disappointing, especially for the price of our meal. While I liked the slower and more spaced out timing of the courses, it would have been much more enjoyable had out server been more attentive. My mother and I both sat there with empty wine glasses and an empty water carafe for 15 minutes after finishing appetizers. The server did not return to even clear our app plates until the same time the meal was arriving, and only then did she offer us another glass of wine and water refills (which arrived another 10 minutes later and we could see them sitting at the bar). Again, I finished my second glass of wine about half way through my meal, would have like another, also my mother wanted more bread, but the server did not return until we were all through eating. By this time I was ready to leave. Even paying the check took too long. If the restaurant had been busy I would have understood the slow service, but there were several open tables around us and the tables that did have guests and were receiving more attentive service. The quality of the food was good enough to outweigh the horrible service so I can't say I'd never go back. But if I do, I will be sure to request a different sever should I end up with the same server as this past visit. read more

Best restaurant in Buxton! Creative chef, just needs to work on keeping foods hot to table. Lovely dining room and great service. Pretty sunset view even on a rainy evening. Check out their veggie herb garden which the chef uses in the daily specials. read more

See all

Always great, one of the 2 best places on the Island. Food is always interesting and good, service very consistently good..we even had the same waitress 2 years in a row. Super friendly and helpful. Some of the vegetables they serve are grown in gardens that you walk by going in. read more

I stopped in at Café Pamlico for a pre-dinner appetizer. The staff was very friendly. Just enough to be friendly but not intrusive. I ordered an old fashion which was done perfectly. The smoked salmon that I had was impeccable. That accompanied with the gentle guitar music, made for a perfect pre-dinner outing. I highly recommend the spot. read more

Cafe Pamlico - Seafood Near Me - Buxton, North Carolina

This place is a rare find in Buxton. The food was exceptional. The atmosphere was very peaceful and laid back! Their cocktails were memorable! We would highly recommend the cafe and would love to spend a night in their inn! read more

We love this place and have been here multiple times; best food within 50 miles of here. Disappointed tonight because we were obviously given old menus with old prices, eventually charged prices different from those on the menu we were given, and no one seemed to care or correct the restaurant's error. Sigh. read more

We've been coming to Hatteras Island for years, and each time we've driven by The Inn on Pamlico Sound, I commented on how beautifully decorated it is. I have been hoping for an opportunity to dine at the cafe. This morning I called, hoping they are open to the public, so we could have our son's 10th birthday breakfast there. Not only did they welcome our reservation (with 45 minutes notice!), but they gave us a window table with gorgeous views of the sound, AND, they made a special order for my son's birthday breakfast request which wasn't on today's menu. The dining area was casual and comfortable yet classy, the servers were kind, polite, quick, and attentive, and our food was amazing. We can't wait to try dinner over our next trip down. read more

I have to be extremely honest with this one. If there were half stars, this would probably get a 2.5. Pros - fresh food, good flavorful ingredients, nice atmosphere for a fancy night out. Cons - we did not book our reservation til the night of and we took whatever they had because all of us wanted to go here and try out basically was is touted as one of the top restaurants in obx. So with that being said they made us give them a credit card number to hold the reservation. The waitress seemed uninformed. 3 different times we ordered items and we told 5-10 minutes later we needed to change our order. Not exaggerating whatsoever. Fish of the day ran out (without any sort of backup fish at all), 1/3 of our party ordered key lime pie (table next to us got the last 2 slices), the entree 3 of us settled on ended up not having of of the key ingredients (had to sub). I have eaten crab cakes from mass, to nj to md to va and down here to nc. For close to $40 for 2 crab cakes these were basically the pits. Mushy, full of filler and no signs of actual lump crab meat. Back and claw meat with filler unless they are literally blending the meat down to nothing. No crisp whatsoever on the outside. Service. Clearly it was a Sunday night and they were busy. With the amount of money our bill was $500+ after tip. You would think they could hire enough wait staff to keep up. Clearly not the case. I felt bad for the staff. The person who sat us and first greeted us were employees of the actual inn. They kept saying how busy our waitress was and that she would be with us shortly. All in all we spent close to 3 hours at this restaurant. Were the last people there. Had to leave a credit card number for a party of 6. Mortons Steak house never even asked me for a credit card number. Here's my flat out honest opinion. I went here thinking I was going to have one of the best meals of my life. The food was good but probably 100-150% overpriced, drinks were mediocre, wine pricing was insane. The crab cakes at dirty dicks and the mad crabber are WAY better and nowhere near the price point (they also come with real sides). read more

We come to OBX every other year on a family vacation including 14 people spanning 3 generations. The middle generation enjoy a free week in an amazing house and our only payment is a nice dinner out. This was our third visit to Cafe Pamlico and again we were amazed at the level of service, attention to detail and the food! Our server Dallas handled our large group and a few other tables and never missed a beat. Another excellent dinner at Cafe Pamlico for us. Can't wait to return! read more

Quiet, relaxed atmosphere, excellent service. Pork osso buco delicious. We started with rainbow kale salad and it just got better and better. Our visit is in the off season so the quiet part may change as summer begins. Be sure to make a reservation. read more

We ate here for breakfast and dinner both mornings/nights of our stay. The food was fresh and visually appealing. The wait staff were friendly and knowledgable. It was nice and convenient to have the best food on the island where we were staying. read more

Cafe Pamlico - Seafood Near Me - Buxton, North Carolina

See all

Our dinner and breakfast experience was most enjoyable. Crab cakes and shrimp and garlic pasta dish were excellent. The caprese salad was a bit different than what we are accustomed too, but did not disappoint. The seafood bisque was scrumptious. A nice wine selection and signature adult beverages. The breakfast platter, as part of our Grand Occasion package was PERFECT - sausage, egg, mushroom, and cheddar omelet for two, French toast, bacon, home made muffins, and yogurt with granola and fresh fruit - yum/yum. The café was very comfortable with most tables with a water view. Outside dining was an option, as well. The staff was most accommodating. read more